Automatic caching of partial results while editing software

A computer system for automatic caching of partial results while editing software, the system comprising:

• a processor and memory configured to execute software instructions embodied within the following components;
• a program editing component that provides an interface that receives software program actions from a software developer;
• a cache point identifying component that identifies one or more points among the received software program actions at which to cache programmatic results related to each point;
• a program instrumenting component that instruments the received software program actions to place additional caching actions at the identified cache points;
• a cached results store that stores data that is cached for subsequent use by the instrumented software program actions;
• a program executing component that provides an execution environment for carrying out the software program actions;
• a cache cost component that determines a cost of accessing cached data versus recomputing the data expected to be in the cache;
• and
• a recompute decision component that receives cost information determined by the cache cost component and selects either the cache or recomputation as the source of data for a particular program action.

A computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions for controlling a computer system to execute a software program previously instrumented to automatically cache intermediate data, wherein the instructions, upon execution, cause a processor to perform actions comprising:

• receiving a request to execute a software program previously instrumented to automatically cache data at identified points within the program;
• identifying a cache instruction that is an instrumented point in the program code where the system may either use previously cached results to skip a block of code, or may execute the block of code to produce a result that can then be cached and used to bypass subsequent execution of the block of code;
• performing a cost analysis that weighs a cost associated with accessing cached data against a cost associated with computing the data without using the cache;
• upon selecting the cache for retrieving data, retrieving cached data associated with the identified cache instruction based on a cache key that identifies a point within the software program that produces particular results stored in the cache;
• and
• advancing the next instruction to be executed of the software program beyond any instructions that can be skipped due to use of the cached data.